Hello Mikrotik Users,
I am planning to set up an WISP and would like to have a few case studies for reference. Do let me know which equipments do I need for setting up a base station and what are the best available options for CPE.
I am considering RB 411 as a CPE.
Let me describe you about my geographic location for Base Station. A high rise building with a tower mounted on it.
Clients vary from 1 Km to 35 Km distance.
Suggest me best possible solutions
Well im not super Wisp but i do have my suggestions and that is what you asked for.
I suggest Rb600 for your Ap’s using 3 120 Degree sectors use the 2.4ghz frequency and the 900mhz frequency. The cards i would use for 2.4 are R52H (good for Nstream) or sr2 and Xr2’s. For the 900mhz setup i would use Xr9’s. You can use sectors for the 900mhz if you want it will go farther. But i use omni.
On the CPE end. on the 2.4ghz you can basically use anything you want. however if you want To Nat your network and have more control over your network i would use Mikrotik CPE units. rb 133c or rb 133 with sr2’s xr2’s Xr9’s. Use routing all the way. (Im learning how to route right now soo yea) Anyways thats my 3 cents good luck. -Jordan
What country are you in? 900Mhz is not allowed in most European countries. Other parts of the world I don´t know.
What region do you want to setup? Urbanised area (city, estate?). In cities you might find problems with interferences due lots of other 2,4ghz users. I would suggest 5Ghz. Less interferences and also less problems with hackers probably. Not a lot of 5Ghz stuff to be found in the white good shop around the corner. 
My AP´s are rb532A (older units, not available anymore) and its successor, the rb333’s. As CPE I use mainly rb133c’s and some old rb112’s.
My main router is a Pentium PC running ros. I am planning to replace the latter with a rb1000 sooner or later.
The advantage of an all MT network is that lots of configs are arranged easier then working with a mixture of brands. Plus you only have to learn how the MT works!
Also, if both close proximate CPE’s and distant CPE’s are to be using same AP adjust the power levels of the CPE radio cards in such way the power readings of the CPE’s in the AP are all in relative same levels. Thus decreasing power output for short distant units, no change for medium range and only minor increases for the distant units. (Never go for full power! It will burn the radios. Also, lots of connectivity problems are due to high power outputs. Very often it is better to reduce some power, even if you initially would think of increasing it.)
Depending on traffic, the amount of firewall filters, mangle and queuing rules you should calculate on a setup of 30/40 to max 50/60 CPE’s per AP.
My network is fully routed where clients are always on line, making part of the network. If you understand the principle it´s fast, reliable and not a lot of config needed. But some want client authentication and then other methods might work better.
Rudy
Thank you for your suggestions Jordan and Rudy,
In my country 2.4 Ghz and 5.8 Ghz are free bands.
I am located in a densely populated city and the no. of 2.4 Ghz devices used near my office area is huge.
When I scan, I can see atleast 30 SSID’s in list and the whole 2.4 Ghz freq channels are used up. So, there’s a huge amount of interference.
I would be preferring to go with a 5 Ghz network.
I assume that omni antenna will not be of much use as the distance from base station to a client location would vary from 300 meters till 6 Kms.
So I take your suggestions and go for 5ghz network.
Suggest me the devices that I am planning to choose.
AP for base station: RB600
3 sector antenna (120 degree): suggest me the product for 5ghz antenna.
CPE: RB133c or the new RB411. (has anyone used Crossroads ?)
Waiting for your suggestions.
Thanking wirelessrudy and jordantrx again for their replies
dxnation;
In your case definately I would go for 5Ghz. The interferences on the 2,4Ghz band will hamper your network a lot if you use 2,4HGhz too. Saying so, the Crossroads only have 2,4Ghz radio I believe, so they are no use to you if you go for 5Ghz.
My AP’s are rb333 but the 600 will do same or better.
My CPE’s are most rb133c’s and they work fine for me with clients been assigned 3Mb. But the rb411 will do the same.
If your clients are all around and spread in different distances indeed I would take 3 sectorial antennas as well, each with its own radio. Pick the freq. as far apart from eachother as possible.
I use Radionet PlanAir® HiperAccess Antenna. Antena Sectorial 14dBi 5Ghz. 90º Horizontal x 12º Vertical or the PROXIM Antena Sectorial de 14dB para 5Ghz. 120º Horizontal x 6º Vertical.
They both perform well but the first is the cheapest here in Spain. They are US fabricated so depending where you are prices can differ.
I have a gateway PC with ros running behind my first AP station. This way the AP-routerboard can handle just all radio traffic and client connections while my gateway PC is then doing loadbalancing, firewall filtering, proxy etc. etc. etc. The PC (or thake the rb1000) has more power to do lots of work which has nothing to do with the actually radio transmitting and recieving.
Good luck!
rgds.
Rudy